Ground Advantage rates just decreased?

[secondlifetreasures-llc]

I just noticed when printing shipping labels that USPS Ground Advantage rates for zones 1-4 and 1-6 pounds have decreased. The same rates for priority were decreased several months ago and GA was actually more expensive than PM for many of those rates, but now it seems like rates have been significantly cut for GA. Interesting timing considering USPS raises rates next week. It seems now that there are now no longer any instances where PM is cheaper than GA. Hoping these stay put even after next week's increase.

[lawnmowerpartsstore2]

Per Pirate ship:

Here's what's going to change on January 21st:

• Priority Mail Flat Rate secret discounts are back, with rates up to $2.34 cheaper than Commercial Pricing 🎉
• Priority Mail continues to be the best service, getting up to $16.01 cheaper for packages that weigh less than 20 lb, depending on the size of your package and distance it's traveling 😃
• Ground Advantage is getting up to 29 cents more expensive for packages that weigh less than 1 lb. For packages that weigh 1-20 lb it's mostly staying the same rate, though it's getting cheaper for shipments to the farthest distances.
• Media Mail rates are increasing by up to 21 cents.
• Signature Confirmation is increasing to $3.50.
• International shipping rates are increasing around 5 to 7% on average. Simple Export Rate continues to be the cheapest way to ship internationally!

[valueaddedresource]

@secondlifetreasures-llc is that for printing label through eBay or somewhere else?

There are some odd things going on with eBay rate - like all the Priority rates increased this weekend even though the USPS published rated changes aren't supposed to happen until January 21.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/USPS-shipping-rates-increased/m-p/34208452/highlight/true#M46... 

So far I haven't seen changes to Ground Advantage through eBay though.

[onefootflippers]

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@valueaddedresource wrote:

@secondlifetreasures-llc is that for printing label through eBay or somewhere else?

There are some odd things going on with eBay rate - like all the Priority rates increased this weekend even though the USPS published rated changes aren't supposed to happen until January 21.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Shipping/USPS-shipping-rates-increased/m-p/34208452/highlight/true#M46... 

So far I haven't seen changes to Ground Advantage through eBay though.

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I was printing labels yesterday and normally I date them monday when printing over the weekend but I noticed that monday was always more expensive.

[retro_entertainment_collectibles]

The USPS has planned a 6% increase basically in 2024.  I've know the clerk that services me for ages who used to work in management but left because well...  Its not an environment very fun work in, in fact, opposite.

He told me back in start of December "What they've announced" at 6% is likely to end up by end of 2024 at closer to 10% as both UPS and FedEx are also raising rates in 2024.  He said there will be two normal increases and then likely will be a third "Stop Gap" between the other two planned ones which will be small, he guessed about 2%.

[buyselljack2016]

I also see some GA changes in pricing (down). (I'm in the under 1 pound range)

Perhaps eBay decided to "fall in line" with the same "contract discounts" that Pirateship offered when they negotiated lower prices with USPS. Their previous stated stance was "no".

I suspect many chose to use Pirateship a bit more when that happened.

[valueaddedresource]

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@buyselljack2016 wrote:

I also see some GA changes in pricing (down). (I'm in the under 1 pound range)

Perhaps eBay decided to "fall in line" with the same "contract discounts" that Pirateship offered when they negotiated lower prices with USPS. Their previous stated stance was "no".

I suspect many chose to use Pirateship a bit more when that happened.

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@buyselljack2016 that's what we were guessing on that other thread - eBay said back in November when everyone else was making adjustments that they were not making changes "at that time."

So now we're wondering if they're taking the opportunity to make those adjustments now before the big change on January 21.

[valueaddedresource]

It looks like the Priority rates have gone back down to what they were before:

Can anyone who was seeing decreased Ground Advantage rates confirm if they've gone back up too?

[broto_64]

Corporate nonsense, they're supposed to raise their rates January 21st but they always manage to slip in an "early" increase (because of the Holidays or some such spin) and then they lower their rates again "back to the normal" in early January just to raise them again by the 21st.

May not be entirely accurate but close enough.

[valueaddedresource]

And now we're back to the "changed" rates of higher Priority and lower GA to some zones. What a mess. 😞